Ruh-Roh! Laura Ingraham Rips Mitt Romney Campaign

You know the Mitt Romney campaign is in trouble when Fox News trumpets conservative complaints as the top story on The O’Reilly Factor. Even though Fox would have you believe President Obama is ontheverge of losing his re-election bid, it was clear from guest host Lauran Ingraham’s criticisms and the lack of a good argument from the Republican strategist guest that there isn’t a winning game anywhere to be seen.

We’ve posted before about Rupert Murdoch’s conservativejitters concerning Romney. Last night, Ingraham actually lived up to the Factor’s “no spin zone” motto when she blasted the Romney campaign for “squandering a big, fat gift” over health care reform and taking a vacation with the “kind of optics that perhaps don’t do him any favors.”

Even worse, Republican strategist Chris Begala couldn’t really make much of an argument on Romney’s behalf, other than to say that the economy is so bad, it will all work out for Romney in the end. Ingraham was clearly not convinced.

Begala agreed that Romney’s jet-skiing vacation photos were “maybe not the best images to send out.” But, he said, “It is the first week of July and there are a lot of people taking vacations and he’s with his family. It’s not the first week of October.”

Begala tried to assure Ingraham, “In the long run, things are going to work out fine. I think they are in a good position.”

Ingraham’s next comment pretty much destroyed that perspective. “Well, Chris, I’m looking at some of these poll numbers and I don’t find it to be all that comforting, frankly.” She cited a number of polls from swing states where Obama is ahead or tied. “There seems to be a disconnect between the reality of what we’re seeing right now and the intensity of the campaign.”

Begala then went on to make the laughable argument that that Romney doesn’t want to attack because his favorability is too low. “This guy can’t be at 49 unfavorable.” He said PAC’s are attacking instead. In other words, he can’t attack because he’s not likeable enough as it is!

As if acknowledging that there’s a problem, Begala said Romney’s campaign needs to be more “aggressive” about jobs and maybe people need to “chill out a little bit.”

Ingraham said she’s not panicking but that people “are craving something a little bit more… a little bit of passion, maybe a little righteous indignation. Doesn’t mean he has to wave his arms… (and) mindlessly attack Barack Obama personally. But they’re looking for a little – I don’t know, oomph? Spice?”

Again, Begala seemed to have nothing to offer up as proof of Romney’s viability. “He is who he is and this is not an aggressive guy,” Begala said. “…Romney needs to go out there and tell people the direction and the vision that he has instead of just attacking.”

But the problem, of course, that he’s not doing that so well, either. And even the Republican strategist couldn't make a convincing case otherwise.

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There’s a key point in the interview where Ingraham notes Romney being behind in the polls in several states. Then she notes he is “thankfully” ahead in Virginia. And she notes that key GOP voices like Krauthammer, Kristol and Limbaugh (all of whose voices are featured on Fox, albeit to a much lesser extent with Krustol) really want Romney to win.

The issue here is that while her statement is true, she’s also admitting on the air that the “Fair and Balanced” network is biased toward the GOP candidate. Meaning that the “Fair and Balanced” sobriquet doesn’t apply. Of course, this is no surprise to Fox viewers, but it’s an interesting slip by Ingraham to make a public admission.

The other interesting part was the frozen horrified grin on Begala’s face as he waited to say his first talking points…

Begala agreed that Romneyâs jet-skiing vacation photos were âmaybe not the best images to send out.â But, he said, âIt is the first week of July and there are a lot of people taking vacations and heâs with his family. Itâs not the first week of October."

Five’ll get you twenty that if Pres Obama had been the subject of ANY type of vacation photos—even in the “first week of July” when “there are a lot of people taking vacations” and Obama was “with his family”—that the FoxNoise propagandists would be thrashing Obama because if he had all that free time, then he obviously didn’t think the American people were important. And the FoxNoise sheeple would fall for it, hook, line and sinker.

Even that imbecile Mark Levine is saying that hating Pres. Obama is not enough. The Mitter has to show some passion. Unfortunately for the cons, he doesn’t have any.

The band of usual suspects, i.e. watercarriers aren’t making much of a difference. The drug addict Limbaugh, O’Loofah, the imbecile Hannity, the screech owl Ingraham, etc. aren’t able to convince enough of their zombies to push the button for the Mitter. And you can tell by the desperation in their voices that they know it. I don’t know why they are so pissed off, a second Obama term will benefit them, so they can rip him every day for four more years instead of trying to prop up the Mitter for four.

Begala agreed that Romneyâs jet-skiing vacation photos were âmaybe not the best images to send out.â But, he said, âIt is the first week of July and there are a lot of people taking vacations and heâs with his family. Itâs not the first week of October.â

Well, Chris — I hope you express those same sentiments the next time President Obama and his family take a vacation.

@Chas Holman: Excellent summation — but, I must disagree with one minor point:

“The GOPCHOSE this candidate..”

Well, not exactly {the nominating convention hasn’t been held yet} . . . it was more a case of the KOCHSUCKERBROTHERS choosing this candidate . . .

Seeing as they’re the ones bankrolling the GOP candidacy, after successfully bankrolling the Teabaggers, it makes sense that they would bankroll a wealthy one per center, like them.

Which is why, despite the sound and fury made by the other GOP candidates, both before and during the primaries, it was always going to be Mittens:

- Trump and Palin were nothing more than teases.
- Cain committed the unpardonable sin – messing with white women not his wife.
- Bachmann was trotted out for the same reason as Cain: to show the GOP’s commitment to “diversity” – but was/is the wrong gender.
- Newton was in the race for one reason: to fundraise {understandable, given the debts he had from Tiffany.}
- Frothy Rick was able to conceal his dislike for women and minorities — but only barely.
- And, to paraphrase the late, great Gil Scott-Heron, “the Ron Paul ‘Revolution’ will not be televised.”

2nd term rule, Chas… a one term president is rare because they have to be both that unpopular and not be in a position where replacing them will make things worse.

Obama’s far better received than most of the GOP, the few people who had a chance either don’t want the presidency or made it clear they’re running in 2016. He’s also in a position where his policies are getting results, but they’re still somewhat fragile, so people want to give him a second term to solidify what’s working.

I don’t think this election was ever the GOP’s to win between those factors. Romney had the best chance, and we knew he’d blow it fast if he got the nomination. He’s a mealy-mouthed mess.

It really isn’t his fault the GOP decided to choose a candidate they had been calling the biggest RINO socialist Governor ever.

It isn’t his fault they want him to be tough on the Afordable Care Act Rhetoric, when he passed much the same thing himself.

It isn’t Romneys fault he is a Mormon and for years the Christians, especially the Baptists have been saying they wouldn’t vote fora Mormon for all the tea in China..

It isn’t his fault they decided to nominate one of the most wealthy candidates that will have ever held the position of President,
during a time when more Americans than ever are just trying to scrap by, and looking for some leadership that transcends ’I’m rich, stinking rich’

None of this is really his fault. He was ALWAYS the wrong guy for the job for a plethora of reasons.

But it IS NOTNISFAULT. He is just being Romney, it’s the people that want him to be something he isn’t that are overeaching in
their expectations.

The GOPCHOSE this candidate.. and it isn’t his fault he is who he is.. it is their fault for pizzing away an election that was theirs to win.. almost couldn’t of screwed it up if you tried.. unless of course you hire a guy to fight the same things he implemented, and he just happens to be of a religion so many of his supporters don’t understand and often just fear.

Aint Romney’s fault he is the wrong candidate in the wrong part of history.. THEY chose him.. I wont fault Mitt for running.. ran a hell of a campaign up through the primaries.. but the actual top GOP candidate against this President and the Affordable Care act.. the couldn’t of chose a more AWKWARD guy..